Shaft coupling



Feb. 7, 1928.

W. E. ELLIS ET AL SHAFT COUPLING Filed Oct. 20. 1923 iii Patented Feb. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN E. ELLIS, F HAVERHILII, MAFSEa'ACHUSET'IS, AND HERMAN R. GEIGER, OF BRONXVILLE, NEW' YORK; SAID ELLIS ASSIGNOR T0 SAID GEIGER.

SHAFT COUPLING.

Application filed October 20, 1923. Serial No. 669,729.

Our invention relates to flexible couplings for connecting the adjacent ends of two shafts which. are or may be slightly out of alignment with each other, and is particularly intended to provide an improved coupling for connecting themagneto shaft in an automobile to the power shaft that drives it. T he features in which our invention resides, and the advantages resulting therefrom, are hereinafter explained in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a face View of one form of our coupling as preferably constructed;

Figure 2 is a side elevationef the same;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3- 3 in Figure 2;

Figure i is a section on the line 4 -4 in Figure 1; a l a Figure 5 is a face View, partly broken away, showing a modified form of the coupling, and

Figure 6 is a section on Figure 5. y i

The coupling illustrated in Figures 1% inclusive comprises two members 2 and 8, each of which is centrally mounted on and rigidly secured to the end portion of one or the other of the two shafts l and 5 to be coupled together, one or more spring supports 6 secured, to one of said members, a like number of pins 7 secured to the other of said members, and springs 8 eachinterposed between one of the pins 7 and the corresponding spring support. In the specific construction illustrated. there are three spring supports 6 separated by equal distances circumferentially and each. having the form of a cylindrical cup within which the corresponding pin 7 is located, the central longitudinal axes of the cups and pins being parallel with those of the respective shafts which carry them and at equal distances therefrom. The

the line (56 in interior of each cup is of greater diameter than the correspending pin, so that an'annular space is left between them for the reception of the corresponding spring 8, which consists of a closely coiled flat strip of metal and is preferably formed by coiling a strip of soft steel and then tempering it. Each spring makes a tight fit externally with its cup and internally with the inserted pin, and the arrangement is such that when the parts are assembled in operativerelation a space left between the free end of each pin and the bottom of the corresponding cup, as shown in Figure 4.

Preferably each spring 8 has a conical outer end which projects beyond its cupand the parts are so proportioned that when the coupling is connected to the shafts 4t and 5 each spring is slightly compressed endwise, so that when ever any pin 7 moves outward with respect to its cup 6, as occurs in the op eration of the coupling as hereinafter described, the central portion of the spring follows the pin. The result is that there is no tendency to withdraw the pin from the spring or the spring from the cup and the operation of the coupling is rendered noiseless. We prefer also to provide in the bottom of each cup a recess 9 adapted to receive the end of the corresponding pin 7, so that the parts may be assembledby merely placing the springs in the cups and then forcing the pins inward againstthe endwise resistance of the springs until the latter abut at their inner ends against the bottoms of the cups and at their outer ends against shoulders 10 with which the pins 7 are provided. Another advantage of the construct-ion just described is that the space left in the bottom of each cup may be utilized to hold a stiff lubricant if desired.

As thus constructed, the rotation of either shaft will evidently be transmitted to the other shaft through the cups, springs and. pins above described, with only such lost motion as is necessary to bring the adjacent coils of the springs into actual contact with one another, Each pin, however, can tilt in any direction within its cup to an extent determined by the aggregate of the slight spaces necessarily left between the successive coils of the corresponding,spring, and this capacity to tilt, in connection with the capacity of the pins to move endwise within the respective cups, provides for such rela tive movements of the coupling members 2 and S as result from misalignment of'the shafts l and 5, thus giving to the coupling the required flexibility.

l Vhen the coupling is to be included in the driving connections of a magneto it is de sirable to provide, for angular adjustment of the shafts l and in relation to each other in order that themagncto shatt't may be properly timed with respect to tl1ei1'1ot()r, and for ihispurpose we have devised the arrangement shown in Figures 2 and t, in which .11 indicates a peripheral flange formed on the central hub oi the coupling member 9, and 12 and 3 indicate two disks rotatably mounted on said hub on opposite sidcs'o'tthe [hinge 11. The cups 6 are secured to the disk 13, preferably by proriclingeach cup with an integ 'al stem 14 which passes through both disks beyond the flange 11, and the threaded free end of each stem 14 carries melampingnut 15 with asprmg washer 16 beneath it, whereby the disks may be clan'iped upon the flan e. After the nuts to have bbdndoosened"either shaft 'nay be turned \vi tlirespectto the other until the de sii' 'd' adjustment is obtained, which is prescILVcdYby tightenina the nuts.

Ihe coupling member-s2 and 3 may be secui'fulto the respective shafts at and 5 in anysuitable manner, but n'et'e'rably one of the shafts, tor okample the shaft 5, has a tapered portion which tits a tapered socket iii thecolipling member 3 and has its end threaded to receive a nut17 with a spring Washer 18 beneath it, whereby the member 3 is clamped on the shaft, while the other shaft 4 has a cylindrical end portion which fits a cylindrical bore in the hub of the memberQQso that it can be \vithdrawn endwise therefrom if desired. Each shaft is provided with a key 19 by which it is prevented front turning within the corresponding coupling member.

In the modified form of coupling shown in Figures 5 and6 the coupling member 2 carrie'sthe pins 7", which maybesecured to'tlie stems i l already described, and the cups 6 consist of sections of tubing each passing through and sup 'iorted'at its Outer end by a flange 20 formed on the coupling member 3. its inner endbeing' located in a recess in said coupling memberi which forms the bottom of the cup. In this case the recesses 9 are 'Foirmcd in the coupling mom her 3' and the springs 8 are reversed in position, sothat their conical ends abut against lheshouldcrs 10 onthc pins 7. Otherwise the construction isthe same as that of the coupling shown in Figures 1- 1; and the mode of o 'ieration is thesaniein each case.

Our coupling is not only simple and inexpensive in 'constructioii' butalso has the adFantage that the transmission of power .tr'oni one member to the other is effected whollyby means of metallic parts in positive eng'i'i'fiemerit with one anotheig'and it will, be seen that this result is obtained by including in the poW'er-transniitting elements a spring 0; 'su'chconstructio'n that itis sub- Samoan? unjr'ieldin'g in the direction in' which the power is transmitted but yields in scribed, andthat the other details of con struction of the coupling maybe modified in various ways withiatbe scope of our in rcntio'n as hereinafter claimed. lVc'claimL- a 1'. Ahatt couplingcomprising two coupling members adapted to be secured rcspcctire'ly w the' shafts to be coupled toi-ether, and a plurality of yielding connections between said members, each connection including a pin carried byone member, a spring support carriedby the other men'il'aer and an endwise compressible spring consisting or a closely coiled strip of metal interposed between the pin and the spring support and having a conical end which projects beyond the support to such an extent that the spring is under endwise LOll'l1i1(*ssion in all relative positions of the coupling members, the axis of the pin, spring support and spring being substantially parallel "with the axis at rotation ot the coupling.

2. A shaft coupling; comprisiny two coupling me bers adapted to be secured respectireIy to the shafts to be coupled to fcther, and connections between said members coinprising cup-shaped spring supports carried by one member, pins carried by the other member aiiclcachc'i'tending into one of the spring supports, and springs each interposed betweeii one of the pins andthc correspondingspring support and consisting: of aiclosel y-coilcd strip of metal, the ates oi the springs beiugsubstantiall parallel with the a); of rotation of the cou 'ilirw and each spring having a com cal cnd prrucclihg' beyond its sulaport when the spring is uncompi essed in ancl'ldwise direction.

3. Ashattcoupling comprising two cohpling members :ulaptcd to be secured rcspei'rtivel vto theshat'ts to be coupled logether, and connections between said incluhers comprising cup-shaped, spring;- srur 'aoi'ls chrried by one men' ber and oped at one end, springs each consisting ot a closeW-coilcd strip ot'nictal held in one of the spring supports and having: a conical cnd project in? beyond the open end "of the latter when the spring is uncompressed in an enrlwisc direction, and pins carrled hy the other conplinp: neniher and each located within one of the springs, the axes of thesprir'igs being b tantially lel ith th xis o rota tion of the coupling and a space being provided for the reception of the free end of each pin when the corresponding spring is compressed endwise.

i. A shaft coupling comprising a coupling member adapted to be secured to one of the shafts to be coupled together another cou pling member having a hub adapted to be secured tothe other shaft and provided With a peripheral flange, two discs rotatably mounted on the hub on opposite sides of its flange, and a plurality of yielding connections between the coupling members, each connection including a pin extending substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of the coupling, a spring support, a closelyeoiled strip of metal interposed between them, and a stem passing through said discs beyond said flange and having a threaded outer end with a nut thereon, whereby the discs may be caused to exert a frictional grip on the flange in any relative position thereof.

Signed at Boston, Mass, this 18th day of October, 1923.

WARREN ELLIS. HERMAN n. GEIGER. 

